India Knight
Encyclopedia
India Knight is a British
journalist
and author. She is known for her contribution to the British media, as well as her books: My Life on a Plate, Don't You Want Me?, The Shops, Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet and The Thrift Book (2008), all of which are published by Penguin books
. Her novels have been translated into 28 languages.
(of a family related to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
, one of the foremost leaders of the Indian freedom struggle and a renowned scholar, and poet). India’s mother was 17 years old at the time of her birth and married to Michel Aertsens Lacroix 20 years her senior (and the son of First World War hero Gaston Aertsens and Marie-Louise Lacroix of the family of Belgian statesman Henri Jaspar). Soon after her birth India’s parents separated and India lived in Brussels with her mother who, whilst continuing her studies, worked as a translator to support her daughter and herself. In 1975 her father agreed to a divorce and India’s mother married Andrew Knight
, the editor of The Economist
, and at age 9 India moved to London to live with her mother and stepfather. They were married for 17 years and had two daughters - Amaryllis
and Afsaneh. They were divorced in 1991, and soon after, India's mother married a family friend, the architect Norman Foster
; they remained married until 1995. In her semi-autobiographical novel Comfort and Joy
, Knight writes about her family and her mother, and the expectations piled on 21st-century women to be perfect. India Knight began to use her stepfather's surname at the age of thirteen.
with her three children. Her youngest child has DiGeorge syndrome
. After writing an article in The Sunday Times about her daughter's special needs, Knight launched a blog about children with special needs "for parents in a similar position to keep in touch, compare notes and help each other".
She remains married to, though separated from, Jeremy Langmead, with whom she has two sons. Langmead is the former editor of Wallpaper* magazine and Esquire
magazine. Her third child's father is author Andrew O'Hagan
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and author. She is known for her contribution to the British media, as well as her books: My Life on a Plate, Don't You Want Me?, The Shops, Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet and The Thrift Book (2008), all of which are published by Penguin books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
. Her novels have been translated into 28 languages.
Biography
India Knight was born to Sabiha Rumani MalikSabiha Rumani Malik
Sabiha Rumani Malik is co-founder and president of , an idea incubator for conceptualisation and implementation of models for alleviation of poverty in economically deprived areas. She is a Pakistan-born British architect, designer, and a psychotherapist....
(of a family related to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Maulana Abul Kalam Muhiyuddin Ahmed was an Indian Muslim scholar and a senior political leader of the Indian independence movement, who lived from 11 November 1888 – 22 February 1958. He was one of the most prominent Muslim leaders to support Hindu-Muslim unity, opposing the partition of India on...
, one of the foremost leaders of the Indian freedom struggle and a renowned scholar, and poet). India’s mother was 17 years old at the time of her birth and married to Michel Aertsens Lacroix 20 years her senior (and the son of First World War hero Gaston Aertsens and Marie-Louise Lacroix of the family of Belgian statesman Henri Jaspar). Soon after her birth India’s parents separated and India lived in Brussels with her mother who, whilst continuing her studies, worked as a translator to support her daughter and herself. In 1975 her father agreed to a divorce and India’s mother married Andrew Knight
Andrew Knight
Andrew Stephen Bower Knight is a journalist, editor, and director of News Corporation.-Career:He joined The Economist Magazine in 1966 on the international business and investment sections...
, the editor of The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
, and at age 9 India moved to London to live with her mother and stepfather. They were married for 17 years and had two daughters - Amaryllis
Amaryllis
Amaryllis is a small genus of flowering bulbs, with two species. The better known of the two, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest region near the Cape...
and Afsaneh. They were divorced in 1991, and soon after, India's mother married a family friend, the architect Norman Foster
Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank
Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM is a British architect whose company maintains an international design practice, Foster + Partners....
; they remained married until 1995. In her semi-autobiographical novel Comfort and Joy
Comfort and Joy
Comfort and Joy is a 1984 film directed by Bill Forsyth. It stars Bill Paterson as a radio DJ whose life undergoes a bizarre upheaval when his girlfriend leaves him.-Plot:...
, Knight writes about her family and her mother, and the expectations piled on 21st-century women to be perfect. India Knight began to use her stepfather's surname at the age of thirteen.
Personal life
Knight lives in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with her three children. Her youngest child has DiGeorge syndrome
DiGeorge syndrome
22q11.2 deletion syndrome, which has several presentations including DiGeorge syndrome , DiGeorge anomaly, velo-cardio-facial syndrome, Shprintzen syndrome, conotruncal anomaly face syndrome, Strong syndrome, congenital thymic aplasia, and thymic hypoplasia is a syndrome caused by the deletion of a...
. After writing an article in The Sunday Times about her daughter's special needs, Knight launched a blog about children with special needs "for parents in a similar position to keep in touch, compare notes and help each other".
She remains married to, though separated from, Jeremy Langmead, with whom she has two sons. Langmead is the former editor of Wallpaper* magazine and Esquire
Esquire (UK Edition)
Esquire Magazine is a monthly magazine for men owned by the National Magazine Company, a subsidiary of the US-based Hearst Corporation. The first edition was published Spring/Summer 1991....
magazine. Her third child's father is author Andrew O'Hagan
Andrew O'Hagan
Andrew O'Hagan, FRSL is a Scottish novelist and non-fiction author. He is also an Editor at Large of Esquire and is currently a creative writing fellow at King's College London. He was selected by for inclusion in their 2003 list of the top 20 young British novelists. His novels appear...
.
Fiction
- My Life on a Plate (2000)
- Don't You Want Me? (2002)
- Comfort and Joy (2010)
Non-fiction
- The Shops (2003)
- The Dirty Bits For Girls (editor, 2006)
- Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet (2007)
- Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet Cookbook (2008)
- The Thrift Book: Live Well and Spend Less (2008)